Before anyone downloads your app, they go through three simple steps in the app store.
Impression - They see your app in the store
Product Page View - They click to learn more
Download - They hit install
Most developers obsess over features but ignore this funnel - and that’s a mistake. If people don’t download your app, your features don’t matter.
I learned this the hard way. Recently, I redesigned the screenshots for one of my apps.
The conversion rate tripled: from 1.4% to 4.2%.
And because I was getting more downloads from the same traffic, my app started ranking higher, which brought even more impressions. Within a few weeks, my revenue had increased 5x.
Five times more revenue from changing some images. That’s the power of this funnel.
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Now, back to our funnel.
Step 1: Impressions (getting seen)
An impression happens when someone sees your app in the store. Either in search results or while browsing.
How to get more impressions
There are three ways to get impressions:
organic search (ASO)
paid ads
external traffic
I’ll focus on ASO since that’s where I am investing a lot of energy lately.
ASO (App Store Optimization) is about ranking higher in search results.
Here’s what actually moves the needle:
1. Target the right keywords
Don’t just guess what people search for. Use tools like Astro to find keywords with good search volume and reasonable competition.
Use keywords in your metadata. The app stores look at your app title, subtitle, keywords field (iOS) and screenshots to decide what you rank for. Your title matters most. Include your main keyword there naturally.
2. Get more ratings and reviews
This is crucial. Apps with more ratings rank higher, period. You need always to grow your reviews count, and you want to maintain a 4.5+ star average.
Ask users to rate your app right after they have a good experience.
Oh, and here’s a trick most people don’t know: the text in reviews is indexed by the app stores. When someone writes “best meditation app for anxiety relief,” that helps you rank for those exact keywords.
3. Fix crashes immediately
Apps with high crash rates get buried in search results. Aim for a 99.5% crash-free rate. Use a Crashlytics tool to monitor this, and make fixing crashes your top priority.
What to track
You need to monitor these numbers weekly:
Total impressions - Is this growing or flat?
Keyword rankings - Is the app climbing the ranking on your target keywords? (use Astro)
Ratings - Are you getting a good amount of ratings?
Crash-free rate - Stay above 99.5%
If your impressions aren’t growing, your ASO isn’t working. Either your keywords are wrong, your ratings are too low, or your app has technical issues.
Step 2: Product page view (getting the click)
Someone sees your app in search results and clicks on it. This is your first conversion.
The problem: People see your app but don’t click to learn more.
The fix: Make your app stand out in search results where space is limited.
What they see before clicking
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In search results, users only see:
Your app icon
Your title
Your subtitle (iOS) or short description (Android)
Your first 3 screenshots
Your star rating
That’s it. That’s what you’re competing with. Every other app in the search results has the same amount of space, so you need to be more compelling.
How to get more clicks
Three things matter here:
1. Make your icon eye-catching and clear. Keep it simple - bold shapes, one or two colors max, no text. It needs to stand out in a sea of other apps.
2. Get your rating above 4.5 stars. Below 4.0, your click-through rate drops by 50%. Fix the issues causing bad reviews and ask happy users to rate you.
3. Nail your first 3 screenshots. This is the most important thing. Your screenshots are the biggest piece of content users see in search results, and they make their decision based on this.
Treat them like ads, not documentation.
Screenshot 1 is your hook: show the benefit with big text: “Track Your Habits in 30 Seconds.”
Screenshot 2 shows your app in action
Screenshot 3 is social proof
Show the result, not just the interface.
This is my before and after for improving the conversion rate of this app. I just deployed this, and will share on my X the results soon.
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What to Track
Impression to Page View rate - Should be 5-10% for organic search. App Store doesn’t track this number, but you can easily calculate using: 100 * (page views / impressions).
If your impression to page view rate is under 5%, your icon, title, or screenshots aren’t working. Test new ones.
Step 3: Download (getting the install)
They’re on your full product page. Now you need them to hit the download button.
The problem: People are interested enough to check you out, but something makes them leave without downloading.
The fix: Remove doubt and prove your app is worth the space on their phone.
What they’re looking at
When someone lands on your product page, they’re not just looking. They’re deciding if your app is worth their time and phone storage.
Here’s what influences their decision:
All your screenshots, not just the first 3. You get 10 slots (iOS) or 8 (Android). Use them to tell a complete story. Show what the app does, what results people get, and what makes you different from competitors. Your screenshots should show the transformation, not just the interface. Before/after. Problem/solution. Frustration/relief.
Pro tip: Lead with benefits, not features. “Track your calories in seconds” beats “Advanced nutrition logging interface.”
Your app preview video (if you have one). This is optional but powerful. Keep it 15-30 seconds, show your app in action, and get to the value within the first 5 seconds. Most people won’t watch the whole thing.
Your description. Most people don’t read your entire description, but the first 2-3 lines matter. Those show up without clicking “more,” so lead with your strongest benefit and social proof.
Don’t write an essay. Use short paragraphs. Be scannable.
Your ratings and reviews. People read reviews to find out what’s actually wrong with your app. If your recent reviews mention bugs or missing features, fix those problems. Also, respond to reviews. It shows you care and are actively improving the app.
Your app privacy labels. People increasingly care about privacy. Only ask for the permissions you actually need, and be transparent about how you use data. If your app asks for location, contacts, camera, and health data, people will question why.
Your pricing. If you have in-app purchases, make sure they’re clear and reasonable. Don’t trick people with “free” when your app is essentially useless without paying.
What to Track
Page View to Download rate - Should be 30-40% if your page is optimized
Overall Impression to Download rate - this is tracked by AppStore Connect as simply Conversion
If your page view to download rate is under 30%, something on your product page is turning people away. Test new screenshots first—that’s usually the issue.
Putting it together
Here’s how the math works:
Let’s say 100,000 people see your app in search results.
7,500 click to your page (7.5% conversion - average)
2,625 download (35% conversion - average)
Overall: 2.6% of impressions become downloads
Now let’s say you improve your icon and screenshots, getting your impression-to-click rate to 10%. And you improve your product page, getting your click-to-download rate to 40%.
10,000 click to your page (10% conversion - improved)
4,000 download (40% conversion - improved)
Overall: 4% of impressions become downloads
Same 100,000 impressions. But 53% more downloads.
This is why the funnel matters.
What to do this week
Don’t try to fix everything at once. Pick one thing:
If your impressions are low: Focus on ASO. Research keywords with Astro, update your title, and start asking users for ratings.
If your click-through rate is low: Redesign your icon and the first 3 screenshots. Make them bold and benefit-focused.
If your download rate is low: Rewrite your screenshots and description. Show results, not features. Add social proof.
Track your numbers weekly. Make one change, measure the impact, then move to the next thing.
Small improvements compound. Fix your funnel and watch your downloads grow.
đź”´ Join me live
This Friday we will build Real-time Chat App. It's going to be a tutorial packed with value, so set a reminder and don't miss it out 👇
I posted the raffle on X/Twitter and LinkedIn. If you want to participate, go there and write "I want it" in the comments. I will randomly choose 2 people next week.
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Vadim Savin
Helping you become a better developer together with the notJust.dev team
